Monday, March 30, 2009

Found my Memory..

Well, I have been MIA the last couple of days because my 4 year old decided to hide my memory card in her red vinyl spiderman wallet.... I have been searching high and low so that I could take some pics and post on my blog!! Thank Goodness she remembered ( finally) where the wallet was!! The girls and I painted some wood easter eggs this weekend and had a blast, so now I have to hit the stores this weekend to get more for them to paint. I did the chick and ladybug egg, and I have to admit it was a lot of fun! I did get some work done this weekend, some scrapbooking and sewing and now today I will be working on cleaning the toy room... heaven help me!! I did finish this good will find for my scrapbook room. I haven't put anything in it, but I got this mail holder for .99 and her is the before and after..
Before...




And after....





I love how it turned out... helps me feel so creative!! I made some tuna noodle casserole this morning for dinner tonight and for thoae of you who enjoy tuna noodle casserole, I thought I'd share my recipe for it. The recipe was one my mom always made, so the exact measurements are long gone, so I am going to give you an approximation and you can change it to suit your taste!! I have tried many recipes ( this has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid ) and so far I believe nothing beats this simple recipe!!

Mom's Tuna Noodle Casserole

1 bag egg noodles, 1/4 c. Mayo, 2 C. Cheddar Cheese, 1 can cream of celery soup, Milk, Celery, onion, 1 can or envelope of tuna

Cook noodles until al dente.. in a large casserole mix the cooked noodles, 1 can of tuna, and your veggies with a large scoop or about 1/4 c. Mayo. I use celery and onion, but you can also add peas, chopped pimento.. whatever suits your taste. In a small saucepan, combine your can of soup and 1 can of milk. heat this up until combined and then add your cheese to make a cheese sauce. once the cheese has melted, pour over your noodles and mix well. Heat on a 350 degree oven for about 30 min or until heated through. Casserole can be topped with crushed potato chips, bread crumbs, french fried can onions... I leave mine plain but it turnes out well with topping as well!! Enjoy!!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

It's a Spring Thing!!

Today I have been trying to get some spring cleaning started... I've only tackled behind the refrigerator...lol. I did find some large dust bunnies back there, but they weren't the kind of bunnies I think of when I think of spring. Definitely not for cuddling with!! Last night I was working on my craft room in the basement, that may take a month to organize in itself!! I found this cute spring dress of my daughter's, she wore it the easter that she was two, and I've never been able to part with it, so I hung it from this shelf. I think it looks ok for now! I also put up this old shelf that has lost it's pegs and was destined for the garbage pile, but I figured I'd give it one more chance in my craft room. I need to fill in all of the holes, or get new pegs, but we'll worry about that later. I hung a baby quilt from my daughter, Natalia that I also have never been able to part with and I think all of these colors add such a girly touch to my girly room!
It's nowhere near finished, but I thought I'd share my progress!! I did get started on a spring banner I may or may not keep for myself. I need to string some ribbon and add a few embellishments, but for now it sits on my piano waiting for my inspiration!! I may add it to my etsy store... but I just love banners, so we'll see!


I would've taken pics of the spring dust bunnies, but I may just save that for later... stay tuned!!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Busy, Busy...


Haven't posted in a couple of days. I have caught a sinus infection and have been trying to get some spring cleaning done around the house!! I did have time to make some of Paula Deen's
Banana pudding recipe!! As you can see, the family has dug into it before I could take a pretty pic!! It is similar to the old banana pudding recipe with the vanilla wafers, but if you look at the ingredients, this one is better and I am sure will add more weight to these already sad looking hips!! Let me know if you try it out, I am sure you will not be disappointed!!

Not Yo Mamma's Banana Pudding Recipe
Ingredients:
1 12-ounce container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whip
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 cup milk
1 5-ounce box instant French vanilla pudding
6-8 bananas, sliced
2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies

Directions
Line the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.
In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Yield: 12 servings
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Ease of preparation: easy

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Mom's Blog Party!!

Ultimate Blog Party 2009
What a fun time!! Check out the five minutes for mom blog party!! There are a lot of wonderful links to great blogs and websites as well as prizes!! I have spent hours just surfing through.. In honor of this blog party, I will be hosting a giveaway as well!! I will be hosting a giveaway for a personalized Travel Coffee mug such as this..

There are a couple of designs in my Etsy store, or I can customize a mug for you in any color combo or design you would like!! The giveaway will end at 10:00 EST on April 3. Here is how to enter..

1. Post a comment on my blog ( 1 entry )

2. Subscribe to my blog ( 2 entries )

3. Link to my blog in your favorites ( 2 entries )

2 . Blog about this giveaway on your own blog ( 4 entries )



The blog party has MANY prizes and giveaway's so remember to check them all out here !!

Here are some of the prizes I am interested in.. Check them out!!

#58 Artisan Stand Mixer!!!


#19~ a $50.00 gift card to target from http://www.shoot-me-now.com/


#16~ a $ 20.00 Gift certificate to http://www.ladybuglimited.etsy.com/


#1ntl 28~ a blog design by http://www.sassychicdesigns.blogspot.com/

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Goodies..


Yesterday after the two oldest were off to school, the baby and I hit a local antique store on a whim and I thought I'd share some of the goodies I picked up. I got these cute little juice glasses with yellow daisies. They put me in the spring mood and I think I'll put them in my glass kitchen cupboards.

This fruitcake tin was a bargain at $3.50, and I am a sucker for the color red. Thank goodness it didn't have that old fruitcake in it, those are heavy when they are fresh, let alone a 40 year old fruitcake!! I also got this cute 1940's apple spoon rest. I just love the color.


After about two hours wandering around the antique store, I went home and made buttercream cupcakes for a friends birthday. They were so tasty I had one for breakfast this morning with my coffee!! Cupcakes, the breakfast of champions!!!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Happy St. Patty's Day!!!


Wishing all of you in blogland a wonderfully GREEN St. Patricks day!!!!

Well, I have been working on some items to list in my Etsy store the last few days and I finally got them listed!! I will share a few of them items I've been working on...

This is a floral travel mug and is a sample of many more I have listed on Etsy. I also have this great spring shelf sitter waiting to be snatched up..

Last night I also made some goodies for myself, a reciept keeper for my grocery reciepts that go back to the school for a fubdraiser ( I am always shoving them and losing them..) and I made a cute Birthday card for a friend who will be 40 this week.. thought I'd keep the card simple and sweet..





Monday, March 16, 2009

Welcome Spring!!



Well, I feel that now spring has (maybe??) arrived in Northern Michigan!! The weather reached a scorching 50 degrees yesterday and the snow is finally melting. I debated starting up the grill and cleaning my windows, but that is too much spring cleaning for our first warmer day in what seems like YEARS!! I definately got a lot done around the house and thought I'd share some pics. I pulled out some springtime decor, brighter colors and more vintage items. Away with the darker heavy winter colors. We need some cheer around here!! A long list of items to be finished around the house before summer and the garage sale season hits!! yeah, I can't wait!!



Grandma's dishes and some cute bunny napkin rings look very "spring-ish" in my kitchen china cabinet. Love all of the pink in the springtime!! The pic of the birds nest is an abandoned birdie home I found in my yard a couple of years ago and I think it may be one of my favorite spring decor items, along with my painted wooden eggs!!


I made a trip to Goodwill this weekend and got this cute teal vase for $1.99 and then headed over to the dollar store for some fake pink peonies to fill it with... not bad for 3 bucks, don't ya think??


Feeling crafty this weekend, I got to go into town ALONE and without kids!! I found this cute green canister at Goodwill for a sweet $1.99, these melamine pink bowls at target for .98 a piece!! ( I bought six of them ) and the fabrics I got at Joanne's to make some pillows for my girls bedrooms.. still working on that. This warm weather sure has me motivated and I wish the same for you!!

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Back in Action!!






Well, after a long absence from blog land I am ready and back in action!! My computer finally broke down for good and many paychecks later, I have a new computer and am back in action! It feels like finally I am recovering from the holiday bustle and even though the weather is still cold and there is snow on the ground, the sun is shinning and I am ready for spring!! I started pulling out some decorations with brighter colors to lighten my mood and have even been crafting a little! I am getting ready for a large scrapbook weekend this weekend and have been busy working on some cute giveaways!! I will post more pics as they are finished and ready to go!! Most items are dollar store items altered with Close To My Heart paper and stamps. In addition to getting a new computer, I have signed up to sell Close To My Heart products and am sooo excited to get going with it!!
These coasters were a dollar store deal and after a few cute details and a ton of ModPodge, they are better than ever!!